AUTHOR'S NOTES: Sorry that this chapter took a while to be uploaded. I was focused on finishing Escaping the Big Top and starting to work on new stories. All of the juicy rated M stuff will start in chapter three and will continue throughout the rest of this story ^^
I started a class for my last semester of college so that and work will really make me slower on updating stories and posting new stories, but, I am trying to get them done faster but...Writer's Block happens and it sucks!
Disclaimer: Thomas and Friends belong to Mattel, Their human designs are mine, along with any characters that aren't in the actual franchise
Hope you all enjoy!
~Suicuneluvr~
"Alright class, settle down, please." A female voice echoed in the classroom as a middle-aged woman walked through the door.
Her dark brown hair was done up in a tight bun. Foundation dusted her fair skin like icing sugar, and her peridot-green eyes blazed with passion and intelligence as she started writing some facts about ancient Egypt. Thomas scrawled some notes into his notebook but stopped as he looked at the male sitting a few desks away from him.
The way James seemed to perk up as the words appeared on the board, as well the way his hand seemed to waltz his pen whilst he took detailed notes made Thomas smile lovingly at him. The look of fascination that was etched onto James's beautifully sculpted face as he listened to every detail with nothing less than the most rapt attention was something Thomas could never tire of looking at. Licking his lips, Thomas felt his cheeks burn as he looked back at his notes.
He almost jumped as he felt a gentle nudge on his hand. Looking over, he smiled as he gently rubbed Sky's chest. Sky fluffed his feathers as he gently bit his master's fingers affectionately; his talons gently tapping against the wooden desk as he walked across the table and then onto his arm.
Another hand was raised. "Please, Mrs. Beverly, what kind of outfits did the pharaohs wear back then?" Percy asked curiously. Thomas quirked a smile at his best friend's direction; but Percy wasn't paying attention to Thomas at the moment.
"Quite a few things, Percy." Mrs. Beverly smiled as she turned to face the class. "Items such as shendyt, or easily known as Egyptian kilts, were worn by men and women as a way to help keep themselves cool during the hot weather and are made of white linen, which some have been dyed to different colors. Other items consist of the Egyptian postiche, wigs, uraeus, deshrets, khepresh crown, eagle crown, nemes, khats, and other items."
She walked over to her desk. "Now then, you will have a project to work on in teams of two about either the Old, Middle, or New kingdoms of ancient Egypt." She continued, before picking up a stack of papers and tidying them before putting them into a tray.
Students chattered happily as they started to form their own groups. Percy smiled as he scooted his desk closer to Thomas. As the sound of desks slid across the ground, Mrs. Beverly cleared her throat loud enough to get their attention.
"I have already assigned pairs for you." She said firmly, before adding "And these groups will be the same for the entire school year." She said, causing the inevitable groans to erupt.
"Hopefully she'll keep us together." Percy whispered to Thomas.
"Same here." Thomas sighed as he gently held Sky close. "I don't want to work with anyone else."
"Now then…" Mrs. Beverly hummed as she looked at her list. "Douglas, you're paired with Tiffany."
"Help me…" Douglas whispered to James and Donald before going over to the bleached blonde female. James winced in sympathy, whilst Donald was torn between feeling sorry for his twin and bursting out laughing, as only siblings would do.
"Like, can I be James' partner instead?" Tiffany asked in a snooty voice, applying a second layer of lip gloss. She turned her head, smiling at James. James tried to be polite, but secretly, he thought Tiffany looked like a pufferfish when she attempted to smile flirtatiously.
"Sorry, but there are now switching members of the groups." Mrs. Beverly said in a firm voice. "Aaron and Holly, Beth and Lucy, Matt and Cullen, Percy and Diesel"-
"I don't want to be paired with a stupid steamie!" A male voice shouted out as everyone looked at him. His hair was black with dark brown eyes, blazing in anger and annoyance at having to work with Percy.
"And I don't want to be paired with him!" Percy whined as he looked at Mrs. Beverly for sympathy. Whilst he did hope to be paired with Thomas, anyone would've been better than Diesel (or Tiffany, who didn't hold him or Thomas in very high regard)
"No excuses." Mrs. Beverly said as she glared at them. "I would like to encourage teamwork in this class, as well as remind you that you need to learn how to work with people you may not agree with. Besides," she added. "sometimes these pairings can work out better than you think."
Thomas sent Percy an apologetic smile, waving to him as he watched his best friend walk. Percy waved back before begrudgingly sitting next to Diesel. No words were spoken as the two kept nudging each other while silently cursing. Thomas looked at Percy sadly before looking down, holding Sky a little closer. He felt his heart racing a bit as he felt his anxiety slowly rise. Fear of being paired with a student he doesn't know scared him. Sky looked up at him worriedly before nudging his head against his chest. Thomas looked down at him and gently nuzzled him, trying to calm his breathing.
"Donald, you're with Nick. James, you're with Thomas."
Thomas' head quickly shot up as he heard those words leave Mrs. Beverly's mouth. James is paired…with him? Thomas felt his cheeks burn more as he slowly glanced around the room. Some of the students (mostly female, but especially Tiffany most of all) glared at him with green-eyed jealousy while Percy gave him a sly smirk. His teacher's voice quickly fell onto deaf ears as he heard shuffling next to him. The intoxicating scent of spices, cinnamon, and caramel-filled the air as he felt a warm presence sit next to him. Side glancing at him, Thomas watched as James took out a notebook from his school bag. He caught a glimpse of some sketchbooks hidden among his schoolbooks before the bag was removed from the table.
"Hey, Thomas." James hummed softly, smirking at him.
"H-h-hi, J-James…" Thomas stuttered quietly, making himself busy by looking through his bag to hide his red face.
"Now then class, I want you to discuss which kingdom you and your partner want to do for the project." Mrs. Beverly said before the sounds of hushed voices echoed in the room.
"I'm thinking about the Middle Kingdom." James hummed as he started writing stuff down. "You?" he asked. "What are your thoughts?"
"I-I'm fine with that." Thomas sighed, his voice a slightly higher octave than normal. He wasn't too fussed with what they researched, and he was in too much of a daze to think, anyway.
Sky squawked softly as he climbed down Thomas's arm, walking over to James to investigate the newcomer. Thomas wanted to stop him but was too nervous to move.
James looked at Sky, and let the brilliant blue macaw hop onto his hand. He smiled warmly as he gently petted Sky's chest, who cooed happily as he fluffed his feathers up.
A soft 'hiss' sounded as a tiny head poked out from James's sleeve. Thomas stared at him as a giant garter snake slithered out of the sleeve. Sweat started to roll down Thomas's neck as the two animals stared at each other. Flicking its tongue, the snake gently nudged its head against Sky's foot just as Sky tapped him with his beak gently.
"Seems like they like each other." James chuckled softly as he gently put Sky back down onto the desk. "Go back to sleep, Flame." He added, gently shooing his pet snake.
Flame hissed in annoyance but slithered back into the sleeve anyway. Thomas continued to stare at James' arm, millions of thoughts running through his mind.
'Oh, my Lady! Sky let James pet him…. And hold him, too! And that was Flame! He looks bigger in real life than on the screen. Why must James smell so good? Damn it, why must she pair us together? I mean I am beyond excited, for it'll give me a chance to get to know him better but I'm too nervous to talk, let alone think how to proceed! Is my heart racing from nervousness or from James? Probably both. Lady, why are his eyes so gorgeous and his body well-sculpted? Wait, what are we doing now? I don't remember!'
Thomas started to breathe hard as he looked down at his desk. He vaguely heard Sky's concerned coos as he placed his hand over his heart. 'No…not now…' He thought, knowing that his body is going into a panic attack.
After years of going through depression and taking pills when he was younger, he was used to panic attacks but not as bad as this. At least, within the last five years. James looked at him in concern when he watched Thomas suddenly stand up. He heard Percy curse behind him followed by the sound of footsteps. His eyes widened when he saw Thomas collapsed and quickly stood up, easily catching him. Sky squawked in concern as he jumped onto Thomas' chest, pecking his cheek, and nudging him.
Voices were all muffled in Thomas' ears as his vision started to fade to black. He felt warm, strong arms wrap around him before being picked up. His brain couldn't piece together who was carrying him before his vision completely faded to black.
A soft groan escaped Thomas's mouth as he slowly sat up, holding his head. The smell of rubbing alcohol filled his nose as he slowly opened his eyes. The room was a pristine white with some health posters hanging from the walls. A medicine cabinet stood on the opposite side of him with a file cabinet. A sink was next to him with wooden cabinets hanging from the wall. The bed he sat on was soft with a pale blue blanket made of a thick and warm material.
"I'm glad you're awake."
Thomas looked over to see a male with slightly pale skin, white hair, and silver eyes. He wore an outfit similar to Thomas's but is the design of an upperclassman. His and Thomas's backpacks rested on a chair next to him. Sky squawked as he slowly climbed down the teen's arm and onto his lap.
"What happened?" Thomas asked as he slowly stood up. Gentle, broad hands gripped his shoulders gently to ensure he was steady.
"You had a panic attack." Stanley said as he held Sky, standing up and walking over to his cousin. "Happened during your history class. What do you remember?" Asked Stanley, kindly.
"I take it Percy carried me?" Thomas asked softly as he looked down. 'I probably embarrassed myself having a panic attack in front of James of all people…' He thought sadly.
But to his surprise, Stanley shook his head.
"Actually, James carried you here. Percy was the one who brought your stuff." Stanley hummed softly as he gently hugged his cousin, once he was sure Thomas was more or less ok.
"J-J-James carried m-m-me h-h-here?" Thomas stuttered, his cheeks turning red as he covered his face with his hands. 'James probably thinks I'm an embarrassment…' He thought dejectedly as he slowly lowered his hands. He felt a bit better being in his cousin's embrace though, Stanley was the friendly guy who could befriend anyone, and indeed, had become good friends with many of Thomas's friends.
Stanley frowned as he hugged Thomas, letting Sky climb onto the younger teen's lap. He knew how much Thomas was self-conscious when it came to his panic attacks, along with his crush on James. Sure, the others knew as well, but Stanley has seen Thomas at his worst.
Not long after the Angels moved to Sodor, Stanley helped Thomas when he had a severe panic attack on his first day. The stares and hushed whispers the other students made caused Thomas to start hyperventilating to the point he had to go to the hospital. It was a scary day for Stanley, his older brother Spencer, and his cousins, Edward, Rosie, and Gordon Angel, Thomas's older brothers and sister. They moved to Sodor to help Thomas with his panic attacks, but it didn't help much at first, especially as Stanley was worried when he heard that the popular social media user, James, was also moving to Sodor and attending the same high school as them, and he feared Thomas would have another severe panic attack. He was glad that this was the only panic attack he had since James arrived and that it was minor. Pulling away, he gently petted his head and smiled warmly at him.
"From what Percy said, James was actually worried about you." Stanley hummed softly as he sat next to Thomas on the bed.
"...He said that?" Thomas asked softly as he looked at him.
"You know Percy doesn't lie." Stanley chuckled as he stood up. "He wouldn't lie to his best friend, of all people, and James is actually pretty decent, considering his popularity." He watched as Thomas gnawed his lip and took his cousin's hand and gave it a gentle, affectionate squeeze. "Come on, let's go to lunch."
"Wait…I was out for three classes?!" Thomas asked in shock as he stared at him, before glancing at the clock on the wall for the first time. It was lunchtime, sure enough. How in the hell did he miss three classes?
"Yeah, but the teachers know what happened, and Percy will give you the notes and assignments for those classes." Stanley smiled as he helped him up. "Come on, Percy will be waiting for you."
"I'm so grateful for Percy." Thomas giggled softly as he held Sky, walking next to him.
"Percy is a great friend." Stanley chuckled softly as he walked next to him.
'At least James was concerned about me.' Thomas thought, a small blush on his face as he walked next to his cousin towards the cafeteria.
"Thomas!" Percy said excitedly from the cafeteria, waving at him and Stanley while standing next to Toby and Emily.
"How are you feeling?" Emily asked in a concerned voice as she looked at her friend.
"I'm feeling better." Thomas said softly, smiling gingerly as he held Sky like a baby. "I'm just glad it wasn't a serious one."
"We all are." Toby hummed as he read his book. Emily glared at him, but Percy just shrugged sheepishly. Thomas didn't mind; he could tell by Toby's now-relaxed posture that he had been worried about him before.
"Here you go, Thomas." Percy smiled as he handed him a folder. "The notes and assignments you missed. If you need a hand, I can go over stuff with you, just let me know." He smiled at his friend.
"Thank you, Percy." Thomas smiled as he gently grabbed it. "I'll have a look later, and"-
"I cannae believe I was paired with Tiffany of all people!" a new voice interrupted.
The small group looked over at the strong Scottish voice, though Thomas blushed a bit as he looked at the 'leader' of the other group.
James.
….
"You'll live." James chuckled softly, putting a hand on Douglas's shoulder.
"It's just painful being near her." Douglas groaned as he leaned against Donald.
"Trust me, I know." James sighed as he ran his hand through his hair.
"How you dated her for a week, I'll never know." Mavis laughed as she and the others walked past Thomas and the others.
"Only for one reason but she wasn't even good at it." James hummed softly as he put his sunglasses on. "More than likely just faking it and boasting to everyone."
"Everyone you date only dates you because yer famous on social media." Duncan huffed as he texted on his phone. "Anyway, let's go eat. I'm starvin'!"
"Starving to be with Luke." Donald teased before running off.
"Get back 'ere, Donald!" Duncan yelled angrily as he chased after him.
"I'll make sure they don't kill each other." Mavis smirked before running off. Trying to handle angry teenagers was pretty tiring… angry Scottish teenage boys were a new ball game altogether.
"Come on, Doug, there's no way I'm missing this!" James laughed, taking off into a run.
"Well, I hope Duncan disnae kill ma brother." The other Caledonian muttered, before Douglas ran off as well.
Thomas sighed softly as he watched them, a loving smile appearing on his face. Percy, Toby, Emily, and Stanley smirked as they watched their friend/cousin, knowing all too well he's in a lovestruck mood. Giggling a bit, Percy put his arm around Thomas' shoulders and gently started to lead him away.
"Come on, loverboy." Percy teased as he gently poked his cheek. "Let's go eat."
"Stooooppppp." Thomas whined as he leaned against him, the blush never leaving his face. "I'm going, I'm going."
"I have a feeling I will be doing all the work." Douglas groaned as he and the others sat on the grass under a tree after school.
"The lass always makes everyone do her work." Donald huffed in distaste. "I feel sorry for ye." He patted his brother's shoulder. "Never mind, we'll all support ye, if ye need to rant about that-"
"I feel bad for Percy." James chuckled softly as he pulled out a bento box. "Paired with Diesel."
"Diesel is one of the diesel engine drivers that gives the rest of us a bad name." Mavis sighed as she pulled out a bag of chips. "I wish he wouldn't, he makes life difficult for the decent ones."
"Aye, Ducky Boy said that" Donald said, referring to their friend, Duck.
"I heard what happened with Thomas in yer history class." Duncan hummed as he leaned his back against the tree, strumming his guitar strings. "Is he alright?" he had calmed down after earlier, more so after he had heard about Thomas.
"Wait, what happened?" Mavis asked as she looked at him, shocked.
"He passed out due to a panic attack." James said softly as he watched Flame slither out of his sleeve. "Kinda scared me, to be honest. I didn't know what to do at first, but then Percy started moving, so I just… well, kinda juped in at that point. I ended up helping him to the nurse's office and met his cousin on the way. He had a sore knee, so he was heading that way anyway, and offered to keep an eye on him."
"I hope he's alright." Mavis sighed softly. "I never knew he suffered from panic attacks."
"Aye, he does." Donald hummed softly. "Douggie and I found out when we first arrived on Sodor."
"Aye. We came across 'im during an attack while he was in his engine." Douglas said as he looked at her.
"He was on the ground." Donald huffed in annoyance. "He was nae in his engine's cab."
"He was nae." Douglas huffed as he glared at him. "He was on the ground."
"Cab!"
"Ground!"
"Cab!"
"Ground!"
"Shut up, both of ye!" Duncan huffed angrily, annoyed that his friends could argue about such a trivial matter regarding a serious situation. "Either way, you both saw 'im having a panic attack."
"Aye…" Donald and Douglas sighed.
"Didn't you used to have panic attacks?" Mavis asked as she looked at James, who was offering his pet a piece of meat for lunch.
"I still do, actually." James sighed softly. "Not as common as when I was younger, but it's usually when I'm alone."
"Hisssss." Flame hissed as he coiled around a small piece of beef.
"Hai, hai." James chuckled softly as he gently pets him. "You, Viper, and Hiro help me through those."
"Hissss." Flame hissed happily before swallowing the piece of beef.
"Duncan!" a kind voice called out, in a sweet Irish accent.
"There's your little Luke-y boy." Douglas teased, only to get punched in the stomach.
"Shut up!" Duncan huffed before standing up.
Douglas gasped for air as he held his stomach, slowly falling to his knees. Donald cursed their friend, before tending to his fallen brother. Mavis and James just looked at one another and rolled their eyes.
Duncan smirked with delight and pleasure as he watched a figure running towards them. The figure was a male teen, a few inches shorter than Duncan. His light brown colored hair flopped in the breeze, and his eyes blazed a bright green. Freckles decorated his face but what stood out was the two buck teeth that were easily noticeable from his smile. Duncan instantly wrapped his arms around the younger teen, kissing him gently before sitting on the ground with him.
"What happened to Douglas?" Luke asked curiously as he sat on Duncan's lap.
"He was being an idiot." Donald sighed as he patted Douglas' back. He was somewhat sympathetic to Douggie's pain, but he also thought Douglas wouldn't have risked Duncan's wrath, after what he himself had said earlier about Luke.
"Hey Luke." James hummed as he pulled out his vape pen.
"Hi!" Luke smiled as he leaned against Duncan's chest, opening his backpack. "Here you go!" He said cheerfully as he handed Duncan a small bag.
"Thanks, love." Duncan huffed, his cheeks a soft pink as he took the bag from his boyfriend.
Luke smiled brightly as he turned around, straddling Duncan's lap till he was facing him. James chuckled as he saw the blush on Duncan's face turn red from the movement. Their conversation fell on deaf ears as he focused on his bento box, gently petting Flame as he eats.
In all honesty, he is a tad jealous of Duncan and Luke's relationship. He can see the love in their eyes, even though Duncan always seemed cranky and pissed-off most of the time.
Sure he's dated a lot of people in the past, and had enjoyed meeting new people and experimenting with his sexuality, but he mostly yearned for a true relationship, one where he had a strong, intimate connection with someone special. Sighing, he leaned back as he dipped his sushi into a small container of soy sauce.
"Having fun?" Mavis smirked as she looked down at him.
"Depends on what the definition of fun is." James chuckled as he ate the sushi.
Mavis laughed softly as she gently laid him down, resting his head on her lap. James hummed softly as he continued to eat, letting his mind wander again. He enjoys his friendship with Mavis, glad that she is asexual, and enjoys having a sibling-like relationship with her. Though then, Mavis has a big-sister vibe about her, with Thomas, with Percy, with Bill and Ben… mostly the tank engine drivers, but not exclusively.
James tuned out, not wanting to hear Donald and Douglas argue about something, with Mavis interfering. He wasn't sure why, but he's been feeling off lately. Like, he's waiting for something to happen, but he isn't sure what. Sitting up, he opened his bag and pulled out his vape pen.
"Do ye have any more of the lime flavor?" Donald asked as he leaned over James' shoulder.
"Hai." James hummed, handing him the bottle.
"Sweet." Donald smirked as he grabbed the bottle, filling his vape pen.
"A-Are we still up for t-tonight…?" Douglas groaned softly, still holding his stomach as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes.
"We are." James smirked as he gently lifted Flame up. "I've been dying to play that game all day."
"Midnight streaming, bitches!" Mavis exclaimed excitedly, pulling out a joint. "Can today just end?"
"I wish." Duncan groaned as he let Luke playfully tousle his hair. "But I have gym next."
"So do I." James hummed softly as he blew smoke out of his nose. "At least we have a substitute and do whatever we feel like."
"Percy, this is torture…" Thomas whispered as he hid behind his gym locker's door, peering around it.
"You're the one who keeps looking." Percy teased as he took his uniform off, putting on his gym shorts and shirt.
"I can't help it…" Thomas muttered as he bit his lip, feeling his cheeks burn. "Why must P.E. be my class after lunch…?" He questioned himself as he tried to make himself invisible.
The boy's locker room was filled with chatter as the sounds of lockers opening and closing. The chatter from the other male students echoed within the room as friends talked to each other. A few feet away from Thomas was James, standing shirtless as he joked around with Donald and Duncan. Thomas bit his lip harder as he easily made out the abs that were sculpted onto James' broad frame, the muscles easily noticeable on his arms and chest. He wasn't buff like a wrestler but was muscular enough to show that he is strong and fit. Three dermal piercings on each side of his collar bone shimmered in the light as he watched James pull out his gym shirt.
A spike tribal circle-looking tattoo decorated his left pectoral while a Japanese dragon tattoo swirled up his right arm; with the tail of the dragon resting on his wrist and the head inked on his collarbone. The claws of the dragon looked like they were digging into his skin as the red and black body seemed to move with the muscles. Thomas gulped quietly as he noticed the visible V-shaped abs that stood out amongst his hips, going lower till they disappeared behind the red boxers he wore.
Thomas quickly turned to look in his locker, his hands covering his nose and mouth as he tried to calm himself down. He wished he had Sky with him, but he let Stanley watch him so the macaw wouldn't get injured. Looking over at him, Percy giggled as he leaned against his locker. Thomas glared at him, knowing exactly what he was about to say. He loves Percy to bits, but he really does hate it when he teases him about his feelings for James.
"I wasn't going to say anything." Percy said innocently as he held his hands up in mock surrender.
"I know you better than that." Thomas muttered; his voice muffled by his hands before taking his school uniform off.
"Just go talk to him like a normal person." Percy said reasonably. as he put his shoes on. "At least just say hi." He amended, knowing that Thomas would find it difficult to talk to James.
"It's hard for me, Percy…" Thomas sighed sadly as he looked down, taking off a necklace with a snowflake charm. "That's what caused my panic attack in history."
"Well…" Percy hummed in thought. "I know, but remember, you are working with him, so this'll be a good way to help you talk to him." He said, trying to cheer his friend up. "Just keep taking small steps to make small and simple conversations. And remember, if you have another panic attack, or anything, which I'm sure you won't, I'll be there to help you. I'll be with you every step of the way, Thomas. Just say hi, and start slow, Thomas."
"I'll try." Thomas said softly, putting his gym uniform on before walking out of the locker room.
…
Gym class seemed to go by at a snail's pace, something Thomas hated. Having a substitute for this class always made the time go by slowly since they weren't tasked to do anything specific.
Most of the female students were walking around the gymnasium, gossiping to each other as they looked at James with a dreamy look. Some of the males were busy playing basketball, while some were also looking at James. Thomas walked with Percy around the gym, constantly casting glances at his forbidden love.
….
James smirked as he was paired with Duncan as they played basketball, easily maneuvering around Donald and the other players. Thomas wouldn't lie if someone asked him if he was jealous of James, mostly from how athletic he is. For most of his life, Thomas tortured himself due to his depression and became weak and sickly from it. Sighing, Thomas stopped walking and leaned against a wall. Percy looked over and decided to join him. The two friends silently stood next to each other, the sound of the other students echoing within the room.
"...How do I ask him to come over so we can work on the project?" Thomas asked Percy softly as he looked at him.
"Mmm…since you always freeze up when you're near him, maybe ask while looking away?" Percy suggested as he looked at him.
Thomas sighed once more as he looked down. "I guess that would work." He muttered quietly to himself.
"Alright students! Time to wash up and change back into your school uniforms." The substitute called out, blowing his whistle.
The students slowly shuffled into the locker rooms, talking with each other. Thomas was one of the last ones to enter the boy's locker room as he watched James. He felt his cheeks burn when he watched the famous social media user take his shirt off and freeze. Seeing the sweat glisten against his toned body caused Thomas to instantly look away, glancing over to see James walk over to the shower area. Sighing to himself, Thomas opened his locker and started to change back into his school uniform. Percy hummed happily as he did the same, brushing his hair before making it messy again. Thomas stared at his friend and smirked slyly.
"Trying to impress Toby?" Thomas teased with a giggle, causing Percy to blush.
"Yes, even though we're already dating." Percy giggled, his cheeks still red. "Are you going to ask James now or later?"
Thomas blushed as he looked into his locker, grabbing his bag and necklace, and closing the door before locking it. "I-I'll try to talk to him when he gets dressed." He said softly as he put his backpack on.
"Uh, Thomas?" Percy asked as he watched his friend turn to leave.
"What is it Per-oof!" Thomas grunted as he ran into something hard and warm.
"You alright?"
Thomas froze as he heard his voice, the smell of spice, cinnamon, and caramel surrounding him. Slowly opening his eyes, he stares at a tan 'wall' that had water droplets slowly trailing down. Moving back slightly, he can easily notice the muscle details that stuck out, especially the abs. He watched the 'wall' rise up and down slightly before looking down, feeling his face slowly start to burn. He can see the V-shaped abs that started at the hips before going under the white towel, a slight patch of black hair poking out of the rim of the towel.
Gulping loudly, Thomas slowly looked up, noticing his hands placed on the firm pecs before looking up completely. His face was burning, and he just wanted to die. James looked down at him, a worried look flashing through his eyes as he stared into the sapphire pools. He frowned a bit when he noticed how red Thomas' cheeks were and gently placed his hand against the smaller teen's forehead.
"Are you feeling alright?" James asked as he looked at him worriedly. "You aren't feeling feverish after earlier, are you?"
Thomas stared up at him, his face completely red as he stood frozen. His mind was a mess, thoughts scrambling through his mind before he registers what is happening. He is standing close to a practically naked James, the famous social media user he is crushing on, with his hands on his bare chest. Feeling flustered, Thomas quickly took frantic steps back, his words muttering as he grabbed his stuff in the blink of an eye.
"I'mfinewhywouldn'tIbefineIfeelsogreatwellIhavetogonowbye!" Thomas frantically said, racing out of the locker room as quickly as his legs would allow.
"Oh my Lady, oh my Lady, oh my Lady! I can't believe I just ran into him like that! Well, it was nice feeling his pecs and seeing the musc-what am I thinking?! I just embarrassed myself in front of him twice in one day!" He thought as he silently walked into the gym. "I'm such a screw up…" He muttered quietly as he hugged himself tightly, feeling tears sting his eyes.
As Thomas walked along the corridor, he heard footsteps running up to him but he recognized who they belonged to, so he kept his pace slow.
Percy slowed down till he was walking next to Thomas. Usually, he would tease Thomas about being flustered, but decided to leave his friend at this time, for he could see that it was too much.
Turning Thomas around gently by his shoulders, Percy hugged his best friend close, tenderly rubbing his back. Thomas felt the tears fall as he hugged him back, crying silently against his chest. He felt stupid and an absolute embarrassment to the person he loved deeply.
"P-Percy…"
"Yes, Thomas?"
"Why-why must I make a-a fool of myself?"
Percy's heart broke. "You're not, Thomas, love's a hard thing to process. Awkward too. It's just… part of growing up." He said, quietly. He had heard these words from Henry before, and hoped they comforted Thomas, if only a little.
The two continued to hug each other in silence, Thomas' cries muffled against his friend's chest, for what felt like a long time.
Eventually, Thomas wiped his tears away and looked up at his friend. "Thank you, Percy." Thomas mumbled. "I just feel so…" he teared up again.
Percy wiped away his friend's tears with his sleeve. "Thomas… You're welcome." He replied, smiling sadly as he gently held his friend's hand in his own, before offering a gentle, supportive squeeze. "Come on, let's go meet up with the others and Sky." He smiled as he gently led the smaller teen down the hall.
"Okay." Thomas agreed softly, smiling slightly as he followed his friend.
The rest of the school day went by at a snail's pace, much to Thomas' relief. He didn't have James in any of his other classes and that made him happy. He told himself that he embarrassed himself in front of James plenty enough and didn't want to face his crush… not after what happened in the boy's locker room. Sky squawked happily as he stood on Thomas's shoulder, holding a strawberry with his foot as he ate it.
"I know you're happy to be going home." Thomas giggled as he gently rubbed the macaw's chest.
Sky cooed softly before going back to his strawberry, plucking the leaves off of it. Thomas smiled as he walked over to his locker but froze, because James was already there, switching out his books in his locker.
Thomas quickly hid behind another row of lockers just as James left, walking past him. Thomas sighed sadly as he leaned against the cold locker, watching James walk away. He wanted to walk next to him desperately, wanting to hold his hand and have the same love his siblings, Spencer, and his friends have. Looking down, Thomas walked back to his locker and knelt down.
"I'm so glad school's finally over with." Percy sighed as he leaned against his locker.
"Same here." Thomas sighed as he put his books away. "I had enough excitement for today." He huffed sarcastically.
"You got that right." Percy said as he knelt down next to him.
"You deserve to rest." Emily agreed as she, Stanley, and Toby walked over to them. They were all sympathetic for Thomas and what had happened to him today.
"Especially after what happened in gym." Stanley said softly, looking at his cousin.
"I'm trying to forget about it, Stanley." Thomas deadpanned, staring up at the white-haired boy.
"That will plague your mind for a bit, you know?" Toby hummed as he opened his locker.
"Not helping." Emily and Thomas sighed, shaking their heads.
"I'm only stating facts." Toby shrugged, looking at his friends. "But I will agree that forgetting about it will be for the best."
"Well duh." Percy giggled, poking Toby's cheek. "Which is why we're going to the cafe and getting ice cream!"
"That I can't wait for!" Thomas giggled as he stood up.
After getting their homework, the small group of friends started leaving the school. They chatted amongst each other, each of them trying to help Thomas forget about his day.
"Oi! Thomas!"
Thomas froze as he and the others stopped, turning around. He felt his cheeks burn as he saw James jogging over to him.
"Hey, James." Emily smirked, high-fiving the black- and red-haired boy.
"Hey, Ems." James chuckled before looking at the others.
"So, what brings you here?" Stanley asked as he looked at his friend.
"To give Thomas his necklace he left in the locker room." James replied as he held up a necklace. "Here you are."
Thomas stared at the snowflake charm on the necklace, feeling his neck to realize it was bare. In all the fluster and confusion, he must have left it without realizing he never put it back on. Blushing hard, Thomas shakily reached up, gently grabbing the necklace. "T-Thank y-you…" He stuttered shyly as he attempted to put the necklace back on… although Percy had to help as Thomas's hands were shaking so much.
"No problem." James chuckled softly before frowning in concern. "You sure you're feeling alright? Your face still seems red." He said, worriedly. "You're not feverish or anything, are you?"
"He's fine." Toby hummed softly, a sly smirk on his face. "He just intends to bl-mphf!" He blinked as Percy slapped his hand over his mouth.
"Oookkk?" James questioned before looking at Thomas. "Want to come over tomorrow after school to start our project?" he asked. "Might be easier if we can meet up and brainstorm ideas…"
James's words blurred into mush as Thomas stood there, frozen on the spot as he stared at him. Did he… hear him right? "…Huh?" He squeaked out softly.
"Want to come over to my place tomorrow to work on our history project?" James asked again, smirking at him.
"I...I…" Thomas stuttered, his mind jumbled with a million thoughts. "Did he just…? There's no way he…! I must be going crazy!" He thought, trying to process James' words.
"Yes, of course he will!" Percy smiled brightly as he put his arm around Thomas' shoulder. It was meant as a reassuring gesture, though to James, it looked like mere platonic affection.
"Alright." James chuckled softly. "See you tomorrow then." He hummed, putting his sunglasses on before walking away. "Later guys!" He called out.
"See ya!" Said Emily "Bye!" Said Percy and Stanley "Later." Added Toby, having been freed of Percy's hold.
"Well, now you don't have to ask him." Toby said before looking at his friend.
Thomas stood there, frozen on the spot as he stared where James had been. His mind felt like it completely shut down, no thanks to Percy. Although, he is happy that Percy answered for him… but still. His friends and cousin's voices were muffled to him, his mind slowly turning back on. James asked him to come over to his house. To hang out. At HIS house. Sure, it was to work on their project but to Thomas, he felt like his heart was going to explode. His face turning red, he couldn't help but smile as he confirms with himself that he will be over at James' house, being with him.
Emily, Percy, Toby, and Stanley smiled warmly as they watched their friend. They could see the excitement in his eyes as the younger teen gently held Sky close. Stanley frowned as he looked up at the sky, worried that Thomas might have a panic attack while at James' home. Hearing a soft hum, Stanley looked back at his cousin and chuckled softly when he heard him humming. Thomas giggled as he hummed, Sky cooing along with him.
"Well?" Emily asked with a smirk, easily picking up the smaller teen.
"He asked me to his house!" Thomas giggled softly, his voice in a dream-like stance.
"Just to work on the project?" Toby questioned as he pulled his book out.
"Don't burst his bubble." Stanley chuckled as the four of them started to walk down the sidewalk. "Let him have his moment after the long day he had."
"Yeah." Percy giggled, holding Toby's hand as he kissed his cheek. "Thomas had a longer day than us."
"Wait…" Thomas said softly as he slowly got out of Emily's arms. "…I'll be at James' house…" He muttered, his breathing starting to become rapid, his heart racing. "What do I do?! Do I make small conversation? I can barely talk to him! This is a bad idea! Very bad. I-I can't do this…! I-I'll just embarrass myself in front of him! He's going to think I'm weird, and"-
"Thomas, calm down." Stanley said softly, gently cupping Thomas' face. "Focus on me and take deep breaths. In and out." He breathed slowly.
Thomas stared at his cousin, slowly following his cousin's breathing. He felt his heart slowing down as he started to feel calm. Feeling Sky on his shoulder, Thomas looked down and gently placed his head against Stanley's chest. Stanley smiled sadly as he gently hugged him, slowly rubbing his back. Sky squawks softly as he gently nuzzles his head against Thomas' cheek. Thomas giggled softly as he pulled away from Stanley slightly, grabbing Sky and holding him like a baby.
"…Thank you…" Thomas said softly, looking at Stanley.
"You're welcome." Stanley smiled warmly, gently petting his head.
"You know, you can always ask Edward and Henry what to do." Percy smiled as he looked at his best friend. "Remember how nervous they were being near each other?"
"You should've seen Duck when he realized he was in love with BoCo." Emily laughed softly. "He would talk about how amazing he is but then stuttered when he saw him."
"Or Gordon." Toby chuckled softly. "He was always boastful around Connor but then panicked whenever Connor left."
"Remember when Spencer realized he was in love with Hiro?" Stanley hummed softly. "Especially after how he treated him when the Nobles arrived on Sodor?"
"Only a few months and they started dating." Thomas muttered softly as he gently pets his macaw.
"You know they wouldn't mind helping you on things like this." Percy smiled brightly.
"Y-Yeah…" Thomas muttered as he walked next to his cousin. "I just don't know how to ask them, especially since…well…" Thomas whispered, his face a deeper red.
"Wet dreams?" Toby hummed as he read his book.
"Toby!" Percy and Emily whispered harshly as they looked at him, Thomas' face only getting darker by the minute as Percy giggled nervously.
"Sorry, Thomas," he said sheepishly, delivering a swift hand to Toby's back, hoping to remind Toby to stop embarrassing poor Thomas further.
Flame hissed happily as he coiled around James' neck, nose punching him. James chuckled softly, holding him in his hand. Flame hissed in annoyance before coiling around his fingers.
"I know, you're just excited to be with Viper again." James hummed, gently petting the noodle's head.
Flame flicked his tongue at him before nibbling his fingers. James smiled warmly at the giant garter snake, petting him affectionately as he walked down the sidewalk. He was also happy to finally get back to his house, wanting nothing more than to play the newest game he and his friends got last night.
Looking around the town of Knapford, a small smile came to his lips. At first, he wasn't exactly happy to leave Japan but was glad when they arrived. Their health insurance was cheaper than Japan's and is one of the best ones in Europe. As much as he missed the bustling activity that Tokyo had, he's learned to enjoy the quietness and calmness of Sodor.
The people he worked with on the railway were very friendly, except for a small handful. Hell, he never even expected that he would be good friends with two of Sodor's top engine drivers, Gordon, and Henry. James swore that the first time he met them, they were related in a way due to their muscular frame but was surprised when they weren't, but they were well acquainted, regardless. Gordon is known to be the one to pull the Express while Henry is known to pull heavy goods trains, along with the Flying Kipper. At first, he couldn't stand Gordon with how boastful he is but eventually got along with him. Henry sometimes acted boastful like Gordon, but James saw how he's actually very kind and a bit of a worrier and figured the boastfulness could be a façade for his anxieties.
He laughed when he heard how Gordon's Hill got its name and was surprised when he learned how Henry's Forest got the name.
Walking up a stone path, James smiled as he looked at the minka, or traditional Japanese house, that Hiro and himself paid to be built. It looked like he traveled back in time to feudal Japan thanks to the design of the building. The minka is raised up by a foot off the ground to prevent any dampness from entering the building. Amadoi gutters ran along the edge of the roof to help the rain to help it move down the kusaridoi. A wooden pathway was attached around the entire house, making it look like a porch without walls. Looking over at the engine sheds, he groaned when he saw a silver streamlined engine resting in the third berth, right next to Hiro's black engine.
"Great…" James groaned as he walked into the genkan part of the house. "Tadaima." He called out, taking his shoes off and putting them in the getabako in the tataki.
"Welcome home, James."
James clicked his tongue as he put his tabi on, looking at the entrance to the living room. A man with upper back silver hair leaned against the side, smirking at the teen. His eyes were teal blue and seemed to glow in the light, along with his hair that was held back by a silk black ribbon near the bottom. His suit looked like it was made out of silver with a small gold pin attached to the collar of the jacket along with gold buttons with the jacket closed at the top button. He wore a black vest under the jacket with a dark gray dress shirt underneath that. The cuffs of his work jacket are a red stripe with smaller gold stripes on the top and bottom of the red. Like James, he also wore a pair of white tabi's on, much to James' annoyance.
"Hello, Spencer." James hummed as he walked past him, entering the kitchen.
"How was school today, James?" An older Japanese male asked as he sat on a zabuton, a cup of hot matcha tea in front of him on a chabudai.
The male had short black hair and his eyes a warm black color. Unlike Spencer, the male was relatively tall, even when sitting on the zabuton. He wore a beautiful black kinagashi kimono with exquisite golden cranes stitched into it.
Flame hissed happily as he slithered off James, heading over to the chabudai quickly. A louder hiss was heard as a 4 ft boa constrictor slowly slithered out from the male's kimono sleeve, coiling up on the table. Flame flicked his tongue as he eventually slithered on top of the table, moving over to the constrictor. The boa flicked his tongue at the smaller snake, allowing it to slither on top of him.
"It was alright, Hiro." James hummed as he grabbed a can of Monster from the fridge. "I'm going to do a live stream now." He added, not bothering to give Spencer a second glance.
"What about homework?" Hiro asked as he looked at his younger brother.
"I finished most of it at school during my free period." James smirked as he walked backwards. "I have a bit to do, but I'll do it after dinner."
"As long as all of it is done by tomorrow." Hiro hummed softly, taking a sip of his tea. Hiro was a firm believer of education and tried to ensure James was on top of things- not that he needed to, much. James was very bright, and clever, though some couldn't believe that.
"Hai hai." James chuckled before opening a shoji, walking into his gaming room, and sliding the shoji close behind him.
"I can see he still doesn't like me." Spencer sighed as he sat on a zabuton across from Hiro. "Not that I blame him."
"He will come around eventually, Spencer." Hiro said in a warm voice, gently holding Spencer's hand. "I know we didn't start off on the right foot, but I know that you are a good and very kind person deep inside." He squeezed Spencer's hand. "Just be patient."
Spencer stared into the coal-colored eyes of his lover, smiling warmly. Lifting the Japanese male's hand up, he gently kissed the top of it before smiling at him. "I really do love you, Hiro."
"And I love you as well." Hiro chuckled softly, still holding his hand. "Just give it time, James will warm up to you soon."
James hummed softly as he turned on some anime music, looking around his game room. Unlike the rest of the minka, his game room is very modern. Bookshelves were crammed with various manga volumes, and gleaming glass cases were full of figures from anime, manga, and Japanese video games. The walls are a light gray color with wall scrolls from animes and artwork of various characters done by artists. In the corner of the room was a large desk with three gaming monitors set up.
James turned on the monitors before turning the lights off. Taking out his phone, he pressed a button, and LED color-changing lights turned on and slowly went through the rainbow cycle. Smiling to himself, he took his school uniform off, tossing it into a corner before putting his own kinagashi kimono on.
Unlike Hiro's, his kimono was a deep red color with a massive Asian dragon stitched on the back in coal-black threads. The dragon was surrounded by beautiful gold sakura blossoms. Sitting in his game chair, James quickly got his streaming equipment set up and ready for his live stream. Putting his headphones on, he loaded the game before opening his streaming application.
"What's s up everyone, SnakeKingJames here, and welcome to another splendid Livestream with me!" James smirked cockily as he talked into his web camera. He pretended to preen himself before continuing.
